Ascent Trip Report

This was an interesting HP. I found the sites and was surprised by the amount of rolling terrain and unusual hills. this could not be spoil mounds and it did not look like secondary dunes. Gopher Tortoises were everywhere. Then I called the real estate agent for information on the lots (see Ben's report for number and info) and confirmed it was the county HP and the site of an old relic hotel (the first hotel structure built on Marco). The foundations and steps are still there. He said the site was an old shell midden from the Caloosahatchee People. Awwwww now that made sense. A look out place made from shells. They want $880,000 for the 2 lots!Yikes! A CHP, historic indigineous people shell mound and old hotel site??? This should be a park not a house someday! If anyone's got 800k to donate to the public............just sayin'

Extra elevation was checking out the other potential peaks to be sure I had the correct mound. My altimeter read 52 at top.

Some research on these people that built the mound is below. I have always debated at what point is a man made HP a HP? The pyramids? the Mayan ruins? when it is over-run with woods and it looks natural? When will our modern day landfills become HPs? geeeeeeesh.......Hey I am counting this one not as a CHP but as a peakbag tripExcerpts below of what I could find on the Caloosa......

They built the islands from oyster and whelk shells, some of which may have been discarded after eating the contents and some of which they brought to those sites specifically for building purposes. They piled empty shells to create dry mounds in this swampy, flat environment. Bare shell mounds probably gave the Calusa relief from insects and the daily inundation of the tides, and provided the only ground above storm surge during hurricanes. Over 100 such shell mounds mark the Calusa territory from Tampa Bay south to the Ten Thousand Islands.

They built shell mounds in various shapes and sizes ranging from small middens (refuse heaps) to large islands up to 150 acres in size. They laid them out in circular, linear parallel row, horseshoe, or donut shape. Based on these varying forms, sizes, and artifacts found on them, the mounds served different purposes, supporting both permanent and seasonal villages and serving as locations for sacred temples and gathering places.